Shoulder brace



Nov. 11, 1958 w. v. RoBERsoN SHOULDER BRACE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1956 4 y INVENToR. WILLIAM v. RoBERsoN HJM@ ATTORNEY Nov. 11, 1958 Filed March 28, 1,956

W. V. ROBERSON SHOULDER BRACE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. WILLIAM V. ROBERSON 'iff-Mfg@ ATTORNEY Unite States Patent SHOULDER BRACE William V. Roberson, East Alton, lll.

Application March 28, 1956, Serial No. 574,413

6 Claims. (Cl. 12S-8,7)

This invention pertains to al shoulder brace adapted for use by persons who have had a shoulder dislocated to support the shoulder joint at the point where t'ne ligaments have lbeen` torn or damaged otherwise. An object of -the inventionV is to provide a device which a person so injured can wear and still take part in exercises and athletic activities without danger of the shoulder being dislocated again by any ordinary movements resulting from such exercise.

Another object is to provide such a device which, while offering rigid support to the joint at its point of failure, will yet permit free movement of the arm.

Generally stated, the device comprisesa ball-shaped pad and means for holding the same in the arm pit under pressure, tending to keep it pressed against the under side of the shoulder joint. The illustrated embodiment shows a stabilizer formed by a member having a rigid shank and having a head or thickened portion at its top which is padded and enlarged to form a sort of ball. A slide-guide is arranged to receive the shank of the stabilizer to permit endwise movement of the latter in a vertical direction but to prevent lateral movement. This guide is mounted on a body band or vest by which itis secured to the body of the wearer with the guide positioned vertically under the injured arm. The stabilizer protruding from the top of the guide is brought into engagement with the arm pit at the injured joint. Elastic bands secured to the top ball of the stabilizer are arranged to pass over the injured shoulder and then downward in the front and back, and are anchored to the vest. These bands provide means which hold the .ball firmly in engagement with the armpit in a position tov support the shoulder joint against dislocation.

A `preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l represents a front View of a shoulder brace embodying this invention in place on the wearers body;

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an outside view of the stabilizer;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the slideguide taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Figs. 6 and A7 are diagrams showing the shoulder bone structure in two different po-sitions and the application of the stabilizer thereto.

Referring now to the drawings, a vest or body band 1 is provided to be Worn around the chest of the injured person. This is provided with suitable laces or clasps 2 whereby it may be tightened to a snug t, Shoulder straps 3 serve to keep it from dropping below the desired position. Secured to the vest 1 on the side of the injured shoulder is a slide-guide indicated generally at 4. As shown in Fig. 5, this guide may be constructed of an inner plate 5 and an outer plate 6. These plates are spaced apart by spacing strips 7 passing around three edges, the top being left open. The plates 5 and 6 and the strips 7 may be of stiff leather or similar material which is strong and relatively stiff. The spacing strips .2,859,746 Patented Nov. 11, 1958 ICQ 7 are thick enough to space the plates 5 and 6 apart sufciently to permit entrance therebetween of the shank of the stabilizer, now to be described.

The stabilizer, indicated generally at 8, is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and comprises a stiff shank 9 which is preferably of metal such as aluminum. This shank is at and dimensioned to fit into the pocket of the guide 4. The upper end of the shank 9 is covered by a pad 10 of sponge rubber or the like which passes over the top of the shank and extends laterally somewhat beyond the side edges thereof. This pad may be secured in place by a exible leather cover 11 which may be secured to the shank 9 as by rivets 12 or otherwise. This pad, including the cover 11, is then enclosed in another exible leather casing 13 which extends laterally to form arms i4 which may also be padded. Secured to the ends of the arms 14 are strips 15 which are preferably of elastic material so that they may yield and contract with the movements of the wearer.

This device is applied by mounting the shank 9 of the stabilizer in the pocket of the guide 4, as shown in Fig. 2, and, then securing said guide to the body of the wearer by means of the vest 1. The vest is drawn up snug so as to hold the guide 4 close against the body. The shoulder straps 3 are adjustedl to elevate the vest sufficiently to bring the pad 1t) up close under the armpit of the injured arm of the wearer, which is the right arm, as seen in Fig. l. The elastic strips 15 are then brought up over the injured shoulder and down to be anchored to the vest by a buckle or other suitable fastening 16'. The rear fastening is located in the corresponding posi- 'tion on the back of the vest (Fig. 1).

In the usual case of dislocated shoulder, the main injury is the damage or rupture of the ligaments spanning the lower opening of the joint socket. For instance, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the socket is provided in the bone known as the scapula or shoulder blade 20, and receives the spherical nob 17 of the arm bone or humerus. The upper part of the joint is protected by the collar bone, indicated at 18. Normally, a number of ligaments are connected between the humerus and the scapula below the joint, and the rupture of these ligaments is the principal injury in such a dislocation. As shown. in Fig. 6, the pad 10 of the stabilizer is drawn up into the armpit by the straps 15. These straps are elastic and are stretchedv when the device is applied so as to place tension onV the stabilizer tending to force it upl toward the joint. Accordingly, when the armr is raised, as shown in Fig. 7, the contraction of the straps 15 pulls the stabilizer upward, its shank sliding out of the pocket of the guide 4 but maintained in vertical alignment thereby. This moves the pad 10 of the stabilizer upward to provide pressure in the armpit just below the joint so as to support the portion 17 of the humerus. In this way, the supporting action normally provided by the ligaments at this point is delivered by the pressure of the pad 10. Accordingly, the joint may function in a normal manner, and in all positions where the arm is elevated so as to expose the unsupported lower part of the member 17, the pad 10 of the stabilizer is moved up into position to provide such support.

It will be seen that this invention provides an inexpensive and effective means for supporting such an injured shoulder joint so that the person may still take part in physical activity without danger of dislocating the joint again. The ball-pad is pressed upward so as to follow the movements of the shoulder, and it is pulled inward toward the body by the body band and is held thereby against shifting in a fore-and-aft direction. Thus, with or Without the shank and slide-guide, the pad will be held in place under all movements of the arm and shoulder, though said guide renders such movement of the pad smooth and regular. It has been found that a young man injured in this manner has been able to playsuch games as football and basketball by the aid of the device of this -invention without suiering any subsequent dislocations as a result of such exercise. i Various changes maybe made in the details of construction, within the 'scope of the appended claims, withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention. Parts of the invention may be used without the Whole and improvements may be added while retaining some or all of the advantages of the invention.

I claim: i

1. A shoulder brace of the character described, comprising, a stabilizer having a rigid shank and a cushioning pad at the top thereof, a slide-guide adapted to receive said shank for sliding movement therein, means for attaching said guide to the wearers body in a fixed position below the shoulder to permit close engagement of said pad with the wearers armpit, the shank being freely longitudinally adjustable in said guide at all times to enable normal free movement of vthe shoulder, and means for securing said pad to the shoulder under which said guide is positioned to maintain said pad in such engagement with the armpit during all movements of said shoulder. Q

2. A shoulder brace of the character described, comprising, a stabilizer having a rigid shank formed of a flat plate and having a cushioning pad extending over the top thereof, a slide-guide having a pocket formed to receive and guide said at shank for only endwise movement, means for attaching said guide to the wearers body in a Xed position below the shoulder to permit close engagement of said pad with the wearers armpit, the shankbeing freely adjustable endwise in said guide at all times to enable normal free movement of the shoulder, and resilient means attached to the stabilizer for securing said pad to the shoulder under which said guide is positioned to maintain said pad in pressure engagement with the armpit during all movements of said shoulder..

3. A shoulder brace of the character described, comprising, a stabilizer having a rigid shank formed of a ilat plate and having a cushioning pad extending over the top thereof, a slide-guide having a pocket formed to receive and guide said flat shank for endwise movement, a body band for snugly securing said guide to the wearers body so as to position said stabilizer with said pad in close engagement with the wearers armpit, and an elastic strap secured to said pad to pass over the shoulder under which said stabilizer is positioned to maintain said pad in pressure engagement with the armpit during all movements of said shoulder, the shank being freely adjustable endwise in said guidey at all times to enable normal free movement of the shoulder.

4. A shoulder brace of the character described, comprising, a stabilizer having a rigid shank formed of a flat plate and having a cushioning pad extending over the top thereof, a slide-guide having a pocket formed to receive and guide said ilat shank for endwise movement, a body band for snugly securing said guide to the wearers body so as to position said stabilizer with said pad in close engagement with the Wearers armpit, and an elastic strap secured to said pad to pass over the shoulder under which said stabilizer is positioned and anchored at its other end to said band to maintain said pad in pressure engagement with the armpit during all movements of said shoulder, the shank being freely adjustable endwise in said guide at all times to enable normal free movement of the shoulder.

5. A shoulder brace of the character described, comprising, a body band having means for snugly securing the same about the upper part of the wearers body in an under-arm position, a slide-guide secured to said band to be positioned thereby vertically under one arm of the wearer, a stabilizer comprising a rigid slide member mounted for vertical sliding movement in said guide and a cushioning pad on the upper end of said slide member, and a supporting band secured to said stabilizer and passing therefrom over the shoulder under which the stabilizer is mounted to hold said pad in close engagement with the armpit under all movements of said shoulder, the slide member being freely adjustable vertically in said guide at all times to enable normal free movement of said shoulder.

6. A shoulder brace of the character described, comprising, a ball-shaped pad, means secured to said pad, said means having an elastic portion for passing over the injured shoulder and having a band portion for passing around the wearers body operating to position said pad in the armpit immediately below the shoulder joint and under pressure inward and upward to maintain support of said joint, `and slide means interconnecting said pad and said band portion, the slide means being slidably adjustable in a reciprocable movement at all times to enable normal free movement of the shoulder.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 99,709 Richardson Feb. 8, 1870 890,842 Cheatham June 16, 1908 2,187,323 Kelton et al. Ian. 16, 1940 2,310,566 Anderson Feb. 9, 1943 

